yeah, I would love to get a PC-9801 myself
it was so popular, creative even made cards for it!

I got myself a Sharp x68000 Compact XVI but it needs a recap job.

I love European and Asian computers from that era when personal computing was catching on worldwide but each region had their own interpretation of the concept.

For some reason, the Fujitsu FM-TOWNS is most interesting to me from Japan though I like all of the leading systems the Japanese had back then.

my first home computer was an NEC APC III ran a special version of dos 2.1 no upgrade options because it was a BASTARD in every sense of the term. My father was HORRIBLE at buying computers. Home computer #2 was an mac LC3. I still have this one. Its currently fully upgraded. which means ram and hard drive only. computer #3 was a 400mhz 2nd gen celeron. The machine was fine, but the cpu was literally a 3 legged horse.

Aside from teh NEC being a bastard, it was a reliable machine.

Interesting topic, I really like those Japanese machines too.

The original FM-towns is totally sexy, so is the original titan black X68000 full tower. They dont make them flashy like that anymore.

FM-towns has the best version of Shadow of the beast, splatterhouse and many great titles.

Some guy took the FM-towns II and upgraded the CPU on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgSoC3t4-B8

The FM-towns I and FM-Towns marty can be upgraded too but as it uses 386SX u need one of those rare snap-on upgrade.

What would be the point of upgrading the CPU in a games console? That would be like putting a Tualatin in a first generation XBOX. The extra speed isn't needed.

actually, late in console's lives, the games are pushing so hard against the bounds of the hardware that an upgrade is useful.

luckybob wrote:

actually, late in console's lives, the games are pushing so hard against the bounds of the hardware that an upgrade is useful.

Perfect Dark on the N64 is an excellent example of this. It's an awesome game, but it pushes the hardware so much that the split-screen coop mode is virtually unplayable. 😜

GXL750 wrote:

I love European and Asian computers from that era when personal computing was catching on worldwide but each region had their own interpretation of the concept.

For some reason, the Fujitsu FM-TOWNS is most interesting to me from Japan though I like all of the leading systems the Japanese had back then.

I was very lucky in that regard as I was born in 1981 in europe, so as PC established in the domestic market and the standards were fighting to prevail I got to contact with some, from XT to Amstrad, Schneider Euro PC, Amiga, even in 1992 when I got my 386 I had friend with all of the above, plus 286 and 486, but these niponic machines have undoubtedly carisma, and the indie scene of the time with a big slice of the games being homebrew,it's something all right!
same

mr_bigmouth_502 wrote:

luckybob wrote:

actually, late in console's lives, the games are pushing so hard against the bounds of the hardware that an upgrade is useful.

Perfect Dark on the N64 is an excellent example of this. It's an awesome game, but it pushes the hardware so much that the split-screen coop mode is virtually unplayable. 😜

Consoles like Mega Drive and Neo Geo can benefit from CPU speed boosts, too. Particularly if a game gets slowdowns when there are lots of sprites on-screen.

sliderider wrote:

What would be the point of upgrading the CPU in a games console? That would be like putting a Tualatin in a first generation XBOX. The extra speed isn't needed.

Speeding up a console can be great, as others pointed.
Actually, if you plan to mod an original XBOX, many applications can benefit from the extra speed, arcade emulator for instance. As for upgrading a FM-Towns, when you play games on the first generation of the hardware, slowdowns are very common. The marty is using that first generation of the hardware.